Apparatus for diagnosing human ailments



Dec. 2, 1930. l. M. RABINOWITCH APPARATUS FOR DIAGNOSING HUMAN AILMENTS Filed July 6, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 2, 1930. M. RABlNowlTc-l 1,783,451

APPARATUS FOR DIAGNOSING HUMAN AILMENTS Filed July 6, 1926 2 Sheets Sheet 2 Fx cibo-7. lO "L /15 l |11,

Patented Dec. 2, 1930 n UNITEDSTATEsPaiNt ortica ISRAEL Monnnciii RABiNowiTcii, or MONTREAL arianne, CANADA, AssieNoa To THE MONTREAL GENERAL nos riTAr., or MONTREAL, CANADA APPARATUS Non `ifruieNosins lHUMAN AILi/iaNfrs applicati@ inea `July c,

My invention relates particularly tothe determining of metabolism, and has particular reference to the diagnosis of diseases of the thyroid gland. Heretofore iii order to arrive at the rate of metabolism it has been necessary Y to follow lthrough more or less complex chemiber for receiving respirations from the respiration member, an atmospheric air chamber, electric circuit including avWheatstone bridge and a galvanometer, with preferably a sup' plementalrecording lgalvanometer, the re' .i spective legs of the Wheatstone bridge in-v cluding the respective chambers and therebyacting as a couple to operate the galvanometer or galvanometers.

3o vention reference must beha-d to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate theI same parts and whe-rein: n A y "1 Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportable case in which the 'apparatusconstitutingthe present invention is carried;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 22 Figure 5 illustrating the electric neclianism for operating the galvanometer ao for instant reading and a"recordiiig galvanometer; Y y

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3 3 Figure v5;l

on line 4 4 Figure 5,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view t'aken on line 5-`5 Figure 2 and illustrating the connections y for the respiration member;

lar respirator and its pipev connections;

Y192. seriiNo. 120,546.

Figure 7`is a diagrammatic illustration of the electric circuits; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating the invention in use.

lar. member Z2 carrying a mouthpiece and a pair of globular glass one-way valvular members and c, the valve of member Z checking flow towards themouthpiece and permitting flow inthe opposite direction, andthe valvu-V lar member c checking ilowirom the mouth- VVpiece and permitting flow towards'the saine. Apipe 1f conduct-s the exhalations to a coupling g, the port of which is the intake port of the respiration member within the porable case, and registering dials i registering the vvolume of the exhalations. This portable case is divided into an upper chamber 7c, and a pair of parallel horizontal chambers 10 and 2O containing the electrical system for operating `the'electrical devices. There is also a main bottom chamber m containing the halitometei', a battery chamber 0 containing batteries Z0, a chamber Q in which the valvular respirator is carried anda chamber s for the folding bracket r. The chamber 20 communicates with the atmosphere through pipe 20b leading from an air chamber 20min open com- For full comprehension, however, of my inare transmitted through the arms 7a2 and gears.

LS to and operate the recording dials. The galvaiiometer or instant reading is indicated at t and the recording galvanometer at u while a rheostat also included in the circuit is indi,- cated at o anda switch at 100. `The electrical systemV employed ina" l/Vheatstone bridge illustrated in detail in Figure 7. `1t is ener- F 4 a s nfhr Se 501ml Y e taken' gized bythe battery pirom one pole of which igure is iii. ci L viwf a wire 12 leads to a pairV oi branches 13 and 11' respectively the opposite terminals of which are connected to the terminals oi' a subcircuit 14. `The other pole of the battery is connected by a wire 16 to a pairl of branches Figure 6 illustrates in elevationthe valvu- 15aiid'18respectively leading also to the terminals' of the sub-circuit 14.1A The gal- The valvular respirator consists of a tubu liU vanometer 15 is connected in shunt across the sub-circuit 1st, and one limb of the latter preferably beyond the shunt connections, contains t-he recording galvanometer u, while the rheostat is included.

1n the application of the apparatus to diagnose diseases of the thyroid gland the pa,- tient, usually in a reclining position, and having her nostrils blocked as at w, takes the respirator and breathes normally. The exhalations pass from the respirator through pipe as to the respiration member L and op erate the latter, thus indicating the volume exhaled in a given time. The exhalations How through the respiration member, pipe i/ and chamber 10 from which they liow through pipe 1 to the atmosphere or otherwise as desired. In the meantime the current :traverses the circuit as follows: From one pole of the battery along; lead 12 to one side arm 13 of the lilheatstone bridge and energizes a snb-circu`it 14 thus operating the two galvanometers, thence by leads 15,16, returning to the other pole of the battery. At the same time the other side of the Wlheatstone bridge is operated by the circuit traversing the leads 12-17, the circuit 1-1- and lead 18, and returns to the battery by lead 16. In orderto adjust this current the rheostat o is set in the usual way. Leads 18-15 have a. portion parallel to each other and form one arm of the bridge. T his arm is locatedin the chamber 10 through wh ich the exhalations of the patient pass and parallel portions of the leads 17e-18 form the other arm of the bridge, and this arm is in the chamber 2O which is in open communication with the atmosphere. An atmosphere of an electric current proportionately to the degree of carbon dioxide contained in the atmosphere. Consequently the operation of the bridge in my apparatus and the liuctuation of the galvanoineter are due to the fact that the arm 117-18 being in an atmosphere of pure air, the resistance of this arm to the flow of the electric current remains normal while the arm 13-15 beingI subjected to the exhalation nowing through the .chamber 10 its resistance to the How of the current in proportion to the carbon dioxide content of t-he exhalations.

The apparatus is connected up as follows:

The portable bracket consists of a pair of standards 25 and 25a adapted to be litted into tubular sockets 26 and 27 carried by the end of the case. The upper ends of these standards are formed to receive a horizontal rod 28 supported in position by these standards and a diagonal brace 29 hinged to the rod 28 and having its lower end seated in a cup-like socket 30, at the lower end of the case between the lower ends of the tubular sockets 27 and 28. The outer end of this vof carbon dioxide.

rod 28 has a pair of forked brackets 31 hinged thereto as at 32 and having its lower ends connected by ring hooks 33 to the globular valves d and e thus supporting` the latter in proper position to have a patient receive the respirator c. The flexible tube f is then connected to the coupling g, the switch 100 is closed and the apparatus is ready for use. As the patient breathes inhalations are driven past the valve c and the exhaled breaths are drawn past valve (l through the flexible tube f to and through the respiration'member 7e.. After the required interval, say lifteen minutes. the respiration member willhave registered the volume of the exhalations on the recording dials of the respiration member, and the galvanometcr will indicate the amount of carbon dioxide in the exhalations. The elfect is that the variation in resistance being indicated on galvanometer f, and recorded on recording galvanometer u, the indications and recordings may be in calibrations of cubic centimeters Consequently7 the volume of exhalations passing through the ap paratus being indicated on the dials of the halitometer, the degree of carbon dioxide p'er cubic centimeter be read at a glance on the galvanometer f and dials i. rIhe result is that the rate of metabolism and the analysis of the exhalations are obtained without technical skill. Furthermore the apparatus being portable its use is not confined to hospitals but is available in private practice. The simplicity and inexpensiveness of the improved -system makes it available to lall practitioners and its use is equally eflicient under all circumstances in the hands of persons of average intelligence.

What I claim is as follows:

1. An article of commerce consisting of a portable case with carrying handle and containing a respiration member, a pair of chambers, a Vheatstone bridge the arms of which are located in the respective chambers. a galvanometer within the electric circuit of the bridge, a rheostat for adjusting the electric circuit7 a battery for energizing the circuit, a chamber in the case for containing an inhaler consisting of a mouth piece having a pair of oppositely extended branches, an outside air inhaler and containing a check valve allowing freedom of flow towards the inhaler, a tube means detachably connecting the other branch of the inhaler to the respiration member and containing` a one-way valve allowing freedom of flow from the mouth piec-e to the respiration member; a Fecond chamber containing a knock-down means for supporting the inhaler and the devices intimately connected thereto in position for use in the treatment of a subject.

2. An apparatus such as claimed in claim 1, the knock-down inhaler supporting means of which comprises a pair of tubular sockets secured upon one end of the portable case, a pair of standards fitted into the socket, a. horizontal rod supported at one end vin the standards, a cup-like socket on the end of the case, a diagonal brace attached to and supporting the horizontalrod and seated in the cup-like socket, a pair of forked brackets hinged upon a hinged rod for supporting between them the inhaler and the i devices intimately connected thereto in position for use in the treatmentvof a subject.

3. A portable apparatus for obtaining the basal metabolic rate of hyperthyroidism consisting of a case divided into compartments,

l5 one compartment containing a Wheatstone bridge and a galvanometer included in the bridge and a pair of chambers having the respective arms of the bridge threaded therethrough, one of such chambers being in com- .;0 munication with the atmosphere, a second compartment containing'a respiration mem-l ber mechanism and registering dials and having an inlet port and an outlet port, pipes Connecting the outl-et Vport lof, the respiration member to the other vof the said chambers; a third compartment containing a battery with connections to the Wheatstone bridge; a fourth compartment containing an inhaler with lateral branches and having check valves in the branches; a lifth compartment containing a flexible tube for connecting one branch of the inhaler to the respiration member; and a sixth compartment containing a folding bracket for supporting the inhaler in position for use in the diagnosing of thyroidism.

4. An article of commerce consisting of a portable case with carrying handle and containing a respiration member, a pair of chambers, a TWheatstone bridge the arms of which areV located in the respective chambers, apgalvanometer within the electric circuit of the bridge, a rheostat for adjusting the electric circuit, a battery for energizing the circuit, a chamber in the case for containing an inhaler consisting of a mouth piece having a pair of oppositely extended branches, an outside air inhaler and containing a check valve allowing freedom of iiow towards the inhaler, a tube means detachably connecting the other branch of the inhaler to the respiration member and containing a one-way valve allowing freedom of flow from the mouth piece to the respiration member, a second chamber containing a knock-'down means for supporting the inhaler and the devices intimately connected thereto in position for use in the treatment of a Subject.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. co ISRAEL M. RABINOWITCH. 

